328 
NATURE 
[JANUARY 31, 1907 
The progress of the Guild was indicated by the member- 
ship of 599, and by the fact that already branches are being 
formed in Canada and Australia. 
Mr. Haldane then rose to move that the record of 
action summarised in the report be approved. He 
endeavoured, first, to answer a possible criticism of this 
record. Some might think that it was not startling or 
striking, and foretold no revolution to be effected. But 
the founders of the Guild never believed that progress could 
come rapidly. Nothing but strenuous labour in educating 
the public would bring home to the public mind the depth 
and reality of the conviction on which this British Guild 
of Science was based, that Knowledge was Power. Never- 
theless, Mr. Haldane disavowed a pessimistic outlook. 
There was much that was encouraging. Go where they 
would, applied science was taught in a fashion in which it 
Was never taught a few years ago, and he instanced three 
universities which he had himself recently visited—Glasgow, 
Manchester, and Liverpool; at Birmingham and London 
also the tendency was not less visible. We did not notice 
it, but it had been noticed by the Continent. ‘‘ 1 have 
been struck more than once by the emphatic testimony 
given by Continental experts to the progress which has 
taken place in Great Britain, which is, they say, at the 
present time, relatively speaking, more rapid than the 
progress in other parts of the world. Well, we have 
much to’ make up. America has been ahcad of us, and I 
do not think it is only endowment. I think it is the prac- 
tical spirit of the American people which has made them 
realise how essential it is to a country which is leading 
the industrial world that the best science should be at the 
disposal of all the manufacturers. Canada herself is in 
some respects ahead of this country. There is a technical 
equipment in the McGill University, Montreal, the like of 
which we hardly know, and it is not contrary to what one 
likes to see that our own young men should be taking 
advantage of the opportunity which that University offers 
to go and get the highest training in some branches of 
applied science under the British flag.’ 
Mr. Haldane atiributed some good in this respect to the 
fiscal controversy. It was demonstrated that we had gone 
back, because we were using antiquated methods in com- 
petition with those who used new and more scientific 
methods. All this had stirred up many of our great 
captains of industry, and to-day brains had a better market 
than they had had for a very long time past in Great 
Britain. . Reviewing all these things, Mr. Haldane thought 
they ought to make us hopeful. Scientific education was 
no longer at a discount. He directed attention to his own 
department of administration at the War Office, for this 
new movement was not confined merely to private in- 
dustry ; we train our young officers, he said, as they were 
never trained before, and we have an average of scientific 
attainment among our young officers such as has not been 
seen at any previous time in the British Army. Then he 
pointed out another thing which, he thought, lent itself 
to the objects of the Guild, and that was the extent to 
which the private employer is giving way to the joint- 
stock company. The joint-stock company had its dis- 
advantages, but under it more and more the price of brain 
was the price which was paid to the manager, and less 
and less to the private capitalist. More and more science 
was thus levelling opportunity, and giving to everybody 
the chance of making himself a power among his fellow- 
men. 
Mr. Haldane concluded his interesting speech with these 
words on the relation of the State to science :—‘‘ All this 
costs money, and, if the State is to play its part in it, it | 
must cost the State money. Well, but the national income 
is increasing. These very things give a reward which is 
four-fold or ten-fold more than the expenditure necessary 
to earn it. There are those who put our national income 
somewhere between 1600 millions and 2000 millions at the 
present time. Well, our expenditure under the Imperial 
Government is well within 10 per cent., even if you take 
the lowest of those figures, and surely 10 per cent. is not. 
much for a people to contribute to get advantages so 
enormous as we see on every side to-day. Education, 
improved surroundings, equality of opportunity to a degree | 
we have never known before, increase of the national pro- | 
duction-—all these things are well worth purchasing at an 
NO. 1944, VOL. 75 | 
expenditure which means only a fraction of that 10 per 
cent., and I say that if the State only spends its money 
wisely the State will make no better investment for those 
for whom it is responsible than an adequate expense on 
the development of scientific method. Our problem is to 
awaken our country. ‘here are many others engaged in 
that work. This Guild is only one of several organisa- 
tions, but it contains on its roll perhaps more distinguished 
men of science than any other society which is engaged 
in a like work. Our business is to act in the true 
Missionary spirit, and, acting in the true missionary spirit, 
we have to see to it that our energies do not flag and that 
we do not allow the sun to go down before our labours 
are complete.” 
The Hon. and Rev. E. Lyttelton, the headmaster of 
Eton College, followed Mr. Haldane. He had _ been 
astonished at the zeal shown by the committee, and his 
agreement with the previous speaker's hopefulness was 
shown by the remark :—‘‘ I] have never yet taken part in 
any movement which seemed to me so absolutely certain 
to have a lasting and deep effect upon the life of the 
country than this one.’’ He was greatly struck with the 
progress of the scientific spirit in the educational world. 
There was no subject now taught in schools in the same 
way as it was taught in schools thirty years ago. ‘“* If 
that has been done at a time when many schoolmasters 
have been vocal with indignation at the encroachment of 
science on their private domain, how much more will be 
done in the next thirty years, when we have grown wise 
enough to see that whatever be the blessings of a literary 
education, there is not the slightest reason why in every 
school there should not be a combination of literary educa- 
tion with scientific training.’’ This much-agitated con- 
flict between literature and science in university circles 
was commented on in a striking way by a later speaker— 
the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University, Dr. E. S. 
Roberts. The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University was, 
unfortunately, unable to be present, but Dr. Roberts pointed 
out as a happy omen the fact that that gentleman, as well 
as Mr. Lyttelton and himself, were all representatives of 
literature, and yet were al! very keen advocates of science. 
Mr. Alfred Mosely offered some interesting remarks on 
the teaching of science in America, and Prof. Meldola took 
the opportunity of correcting a notion which existed in 
some quarters that the Guild was specially interested in 
the practical and industrial application of science. He 
wished to see the encouragement of scientific method as a 
cult. The work of the Guild, he hoped, would be to raise 
the level of public opinion towards abstract science itself. 
The rest would follow. 
The other business resolutions included one to permit of 
distinguished Americans and foreigners being elected 
honorary members—an extension of the basis of the Guild 
due to the courtesies and offers of information from 
eminent Americans. 
The following executive committee for the ensuing year 
was elected. The new members are indicated by italics :— 
President, Right Hon. R. B. Haldane, M.P., F.R.S.; hon. 
treasurer, Right Hon. Lord Avebury, F.R.S.;_ hon. 
assistant treasurer, Vady Lockyer; trustees, Sir James 
Blyth, Bart., Mr. C. W. Macara; vice-presidents, Sir 
Archibald Geikie, F.R.S., Sir John Wolfe-Barry, K.C.B., 
F.R.S.; chairman of committees, Sir Norman Lockyer, 
K.C.B., F.R.S.; vice-chairmen of committees, Sir William 
Ramsay, K.C.B., F.R.S., Sir Lauder Brunton, F.R.S., 
Hon. Sir John Cockburn, K.C.M.G., Sir Philip Magnus, 
M.P.; hon. secretary, Sir Alexander Pedler, C.J.E., 
F.R.S.; members, Sir Hugh Bell, Bart., Mr. G. T. Beilby 
F.R.S., Right Hon. Thomas Burt, M.P., Mr. Dugald 
Clerk, Captain Creak, C.B., R-N., F.R.S., Dr. Francis 
Elgar, F.R.S., Prof. Meldola, F.R.S., Sir William Mather, 
Major-General Sir F. Maurice, K.C.B., Prof. J. Perry, 
F.R.S., Sir Wiliiam White, K.C.B., F.R:S:, Mr. 
Carmichael Thomas, Mr. F. Verney, M.P., Sir Henry 
Trueman Wood, Sir Edward Brabrook, C.B. 
The following new vice-presidents were appointed :-— 
Lord Reay, president of the British Academy; President 
Warren, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; the 
Vice-Chancellor of the University’ of Cambridge; Sir 
Frederick Pollock, Bart.,.and Sir David Gill, K.C.B., 
F.R.S. , 
